Apparatus for the drive of pumps



July 14, 1970 K. LEHNER 3,520,022

APPARATUS FOR THE DRIVE OF PUMPS Filed Nov. 1, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG. 1

IN VEN TOR. /ykn Lam/1 2 July 1 1970 r K. LEHNER 3,520,022

APPARATUS FOR THE DRIVE 0F PUMPS Filed Nov. 1, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG. 2

IN VEN TOR. @m A [EH/V52? July 14, 1970 K. LEHNER APPARATUS FOR THEDRIVE 0F PUMPS 6 Sheets- Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 1, 1967 FIGA July 14, 1970K. LEHNER APPARATUS FOR THE DRIVE OF PUMPS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Nov. 1, 1967 FIG. 5

l\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\w s INVENTOR. /fl4/?z LE/f/VER July 14, 1970 K. LEHNERAPPARATUS FOR THE DRIVE OF PUMPS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. rflmz. A EH/VER July 14, 1970 K. LEHNER APPARATUS FOR THEDRIVE 0F PUMPS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 1, 1967 IZZ/fi/OT'. 3 Marllehner JE'MIQ W VL United States Patent "ice 3,520,022 AEPARATUS FOR THEDRIVE OF PUMPS Karl Leliner, Frankfurt, Germany, assignor t0 Vickers-Zimmer Aktiengesellschaft, Planung und Bau von Industrieanlagen,Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed Nov. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 679,848

Int. Cl. Dtlld 5/00; F16h 37/06, 3/26 US. Cl. i88 14 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE In the spinning apparatuses used today for the spin ningof synthetic fibers, threads, bands or the like from a polymer melt orpolymer solution, frequency there are arranged on a so-called spinningbeam several spinning units. The polymer melt for these spinning unitsis supplied from a single melter or solution tank. A pump conveys thematerial to be spun over conduits to the individual spinning units. Atthe spinning units themselves there are provided spinning pumps whichhave the function of supplying the spinning solution or melt to thenozzle plates in a definite and precise amount. The maintenance of thisprecise amount is a condition for the uniformity of the spun thread,which should be as homogeneous as possible over its entire length.Furthermore, in the production of high-quality threads, the threads spunfrom the various nozzle plates of a spinning beam or a group of spinningbeams should have equal properties. The precondition for obtaining thisresult is that the amounts of polymer melt supplied to the individualspinning pumps be equal. Since differences can arise between theindividual spinning pumps, especially through deviations in toleranceand different degrees of wear, in the amount of melt supplied orconveyed, devices are necessary which will balance out or compensate forthese differences.

The spinning pumps most frequently used are gear wheel pumps, whoseprimary defect is the relatively rapid wear on the gear wheelsthemselves. Since the wear on the individual spinning pumps is notuniform, a compensating correction is required after a period of time.This correction is likewise necessary if one of the spinning pumps ischanged and replaced by a new spinning pump. In order to be able tocarry out this compensation in the conveyance amount, hithertoadjustable and infinitely variable lamella chain gears were used on theindividual spinning pumps. There was, therefore, besides the infinitelyadjustable main gear connected with the drive motor, for the drive andthe adjustment of the spinning pump turning rate, a fine-regulating gearmounted directly on each spinning pump. Such fine-regulating gears madeof lamella chain gears, however, are relatively expensive and, since asa rule it is a matter of only a very slight compensation, not fullyutilized in their functioning. Moreover, they have a great spacerequirement, which leads to the consequence that on a spinning unit inthe known form it is not possible to arrange more than two spinningpumps with the associated spinning nozzle plates next to one another. Ifthe individual spinning unit is to be equipped with further spinningpumps, then there is only the possibility of arranging two pairs3,520,022 Patented July 14, 1970 of spinning pumps opposite one another.Thus, a spinning unit could be provided only with a total of fourspinning pumps and their drives.

Underlying the invention is the object of avoiding the above drawbacksof the drive devices hitherto known for several spinning pumps on aspinning apparatus for the Spinning of synthetic threads, bands or thelike. Another object of the invention is the creation of a drive devicewhich is simple in construction and cheap to produce and to maintain.Further objects can be gathered from a reading of the followingspecification and claims.

The above objects are realized, according to the invention, by providingspinning apparatus with fine-regulating gear which consists of a speedor turning rate reduction gear and at least one speed-change gear of lowspeed gradation engaged at the outlet side of the fineregulating gear.On each spinning pump, therefore, the hitherto usual lamella chaingearwhich, as already stated, is only slightly utilized since onlyslight modifications are required for the compensation of the variancein the conveyance amounts or supply rates of the individual spinningpumps in a given setting rangeis replaced by a gear combination that isvery simple in its construction and can be produced at extremely lowcosts. In this gear combination, the gear with the speed reduction mayconsist of a worm drive. At outlet side of this worm drive or gear, inthe simplest form of the gear in which only one spinning pump is to bedriven by the gear, there is engaged any desired speed change gear witha low speed gradation. The secondary drive of this speed change gear isconnected with the primary drive shaft of the spinning pump. Thepreferred form of the gear provides, on outlet side of the gear withgreat speed reduction, four adjacently situated speed change gears whichhave secondary-drive places for the drive of four pump shafts. Thus,after the speed reduction gear there is a branching of the force-flow toseveral speed chain gears, each of which is allocated to a spinningpump. In this manner, several spinning pumps may be simultaneouslydriven by one gear unit, each spinning pump being individuallycontrollable within very close limits.

In accordance with the present invention, the speed change gears may beformed of change gear pairs. These change gear pairs are constructed insuch a way that a changing of individual gear wheels with only slightmodification in the number of teeth is sufiicient to make it possible tobalance the differences in the conveyance amount of the individualspinning pumps. Since, as a rule, it is very seldom that a speed changeof a spinning pump is required or carried out, the time necessary forchanging the gear wheels is of negligible consequence as compared to thetotal course of production. The gear itself is extremely simple andcheap. Tests carried out with such a gear showed that by the changing ofonly one of the gear wheels of a change gear pair, a change in theconveyance or delivery rate of the spinning pumps can be achieved whichis sufficient for the operation in practice. The adjustment obtained bysimple wheel change can be much finer than is necessary to stay withinthe requisite tolerance range for the uniformity of the spinning fibersor threads. Furthermore, the change wheel gears, without difliculties,can be arranged adjacently and thereby make possible an adjacentarrangement of the spinning pumps. This has the consequence that on onespinning unit there can be mounted adjacently a plurality of spinningpumps. Thus, there is achieved a special advantage of the invention: thereciprocal spacing of the individual change gear pairs, and the spinningpumps, can be reduced to a minimum. The change gear pairs and thespinning pumps can be arranged directly adjacent to one another. Aspinning beam provided with such gears can he produced in an extremelycompact manner and yields, per spinning unit, a considerably higheroutput than the spinning beams known hereto. Moreover, all the spinningpumps can be mounted on one side of the spinning unit: thus presentingan extremely low space requirement for the spinning beams and its drive,and the possibility of placing two spinning beams with their pump-freesides facing each other with a spooling machine on the product outletside of the spinning beams.

As another preferred feature of the invention and for the purpose of notstopping the whole spinning apparatus during the changing of the changegears, the spacing of the change gear wheel shafts which belong togetheris made variable in such a way that the individual wheel pairs areshiftable out of engagement during operation. According to this featureof the invention, the shafts of the driving change gears are borne onarms swingable about the shaft of the spur wheel driving the changegears. By a swinging of the arms, the change gears are brought out ofengagement. For the swinging, the gears are preferably provided on theirfree ends with guide parts slidable in their longitudinal direction, inwhich there are carried turnable pins arranged eccentrically on fixedshifting shafts. On these shifting or switching shafts there may bemounted arrestable operating levers. For this purpose, the shiftingshafts may be provided with switching connection pieces which havereceiving devices for the operating levers and in their end positionslie preferably on stops formed of detachable screws. These stops areadjusted according to the particular change gears used. Furthermore, theswitching connection pieces can be fixed in their stop (or stroke)positions by automatic bolts.

According to another form of the invention, the speed change gear may bea shifting gear with preferably three speeds. Such a shifting gear isfundamentally completely sufiicient for the desired speed gradation forthe compensation of the variations in the pump delivery rate. More speedgradations are necessary only in very special cases.

In another preferred form of the invention, the threespeed shifting gearis provided with at least one slide wheel for the shifting of the gearspeeds. With the desired low speed gradation, in such a construction ofthe shifting gear, only two parallel-running shafts are necessary: onthe one shaft there is arranged a gear wheel and on the other shaftthere are arranged three adjacently situated gear wheels of the samediameter but different number of teeth. With this very simple form ofthe shifting gear no couplings of any kind are necessary. In principle,it is a matter of no importance whether, for the shifting operation, thegear wheel or the three adjacent gear wheels are shifted or slid. Inpractice, however, when several spinning pumps are driven over one gearunit, it is preferred to arrange the sliding wheel or the sliding wheelson the secondary drive shaft of the shifting gear. In this manner, thereis achieved the greatest independence of the individual pump drives. Thedelivery rate of each individual pump can be varied by itselfindependently of the delivery rates of the other pumps. In the case of ashifting gear with several secondary drive shafts, which represents thepreferred form of the invention, the secondary drive shafts arepreferably afranged in one plane.

With the aid of several examples schematically represented in thefollowing drawings, the invention is further described and explained indetail.

FIG. 1 shows: in the left half, a front elevation of the gear; and onthe right half, a rear elevation with the casing front removed;

FIG. 2 shows a section through the gear according to FIG. 1 along thegear shafts or axles;

FIG. 3 shows a section through the shifting piece of the shifting orswitching shaft with operating lever;

FIG. 4 shows a cross section through a three-speed 4 shifting gear withthree slide wheels on the secondary drive shaft;

FIG. 5 shows a cross section through a shifting gear with one slidewheel on the secondary drive shaft;

FIG. 6 shows a plan View of the right half of a symmetrically designedgear with casing front removed; and

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view, a combination for the manufacture ofsynthetic fibers or the like wherein the device of the present inventionforms an integral part.

The drive of the gear represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 is accomplished overa worm shaft 1, which is carried in the upper part of the gear casing 2over ball bearing 3. The worm 4 is located on worm shaft 1 and drives aworm wheel 5, which is secured on a shaft 6 over a spring 7. The shaft 6of the worm wheel 5 is likewise carried over ball bearing 8. The wormwheel 5 is accessible after removal of a cover 9 of the gear casing 2.In the cover 9 there is arranged a viewing glass 10. On the shaft 6 ofthe worm wheel 5 there is fastened, over a spring 11, a spur wheel 12which stands in engagement with two spur wheels 13 arranged laterallyoffset. On the shaft 15 of these spur wheels 13, which shaft is carriedin the ball bearings 14, there are arranged further spur wheels 16, overwhich the change gear pairs 17, 18 and 19, 20 are driven. The changegear pairs 17, 18 and 19, 20 are arranged and designed in the presentexample in such a way that only the secondary drive wheels 18 and 20 areeasily accessible from outside and can be easily replaced by secondarydrive wheels of other tooth count. In order, therefore, to change thesecondary drive speed of a speed change gear and thereby the deliveryrate of the associated spinning pump slightly, it is merely necessary tochange the corresponding gear wheel 18 or 20. The secondary drive shaft21 leading to a spinning pump is connected to the gear wheel 20 and thegear wheel is designed so as to be easily changeable. If, for example,for the normal operation of the gear the gear wheels 18 and 20 of thechange gear pairs are each equipped with 50 teeth, then each of thesegear wheels, depending on whether an increase or a reduction of thespeed of the corresponding connected spinning pumps is desired, can bereplaced by a gear wheel with 49 or 51 teeth. For this purpose theinterchangeable gear wheels 18 and 20 are arranged on fixedly carriedaxles 22, 22. For the changing, for example, of the gear wheel 20, thepump shaft 21 is uncoupled and the casing cover 23 covering the gearwheel 20 is removed. After this, the gear wheel 20 can be drawn off fromits axle 22 and replaced by another. Behind the changeable gear wheel 20there is mounted a protective ring 24, which is held by two pins 25arranged to the side of the gear wheel 20 and follows the gear wheel 20in the removal. This movement is made possible by the springs 26arranged on the pins 25. After removal of the gear wheel 20, the openingthat has resulted through the removal of the casing cover 23 is closedby the protective ring 24. In this position, the protective ring 24 isheld by the pins 25 Whose movement is limited by clamping rings 26'arranged at their ends. The protective ring 24 prevents any unintendedengagement into the opening presented upon removal of the gear wheel 20.

The gear wheels 17, 18 and 19, 20 of the change gear pairs are borne ontheir axles 22', 29' and 22, 29 over needle bearings. The needlebearings for axles 29 and 22 are 7 and 8, respectively. The secondarydrive wheels 18 and 20 of the change gear pairs are connected with thepump shafts 21 over jaw or claw couplings with the pump shafts 21. Thiscoupling is designed in such a way that slight structural imprecisions,for example in the alignment of the axles of the secondary drive wheelsand of the spinning pumps as well as the length changes arising throughthe heating of the spinning pump shafts 21, can be compensated. For thispurpose, each secondary drive wheel 18 or 20 is provided with aprojecting ring 30 into which there is introduced a ring 31, which issecured to the pump shaft 21 and provided with roundings on its outersurfaces. Moreover, there is arranged on the pump shaft 21 an axiallyslidable cylindrical part 32 which is assured against twisting by aspring 33-. This part 32 is provided with jaws or claws which engage incorresponding recesses on the gear wheel ring 30. The jaws are pressedinto these recesses by the coil spring 34 acting on the cylindrical part32. As counter-bearing for the spring 34 there is a pronged annular part35 pinned in place on the pump shaft 21. In special forms of theapparatus of the invention, it may be necessary to provide the secondarydrive wheels 18 and 20 with an axially burdenable hearing.

In order to allow the changing of the gear wheels 18, 20 duringoperation of the spinning apparatus, the spacing of the axles 22, 22'and 29, 29' of the change gear pairs 17, 18 and 19, 20 is designed to bevariable. For this purpose, the axles 29 and 29' of the driving changegear wheels 17 and 19 are carried in swingable arms 36 and 37. Thesearms 36 and 37 are swingable about the shaft of the driving spur wheel16. For the swinging, the arms 36 and 37 are provided with guide parts38 and 38, into which there are engaged turnably carried pins 39 and 39'of fixed shifting shafts 40 and 40'. By an eccentricity of the pins 39and 39' with respect to the shifting shafts 40 and 40', in a twisting orturning of the shifting shafts 40 and 40 the guide parts 38 and 38 aremoved back and forth in their slide paths 41 and 41' and thecorresponding arms 36 and 37 are simultaneously swung about their pivotpoints. In this manner, the driving change gears 17 and 19 are movedtoward the other change gears 18 and or away from them.

On the right-hand half of FIG. 1, the driving change gear wheel 19 isdrawn in its operating position in which the change gears 19 and 20 meshinto one another. The slide piece 38 is then situated at the lower endof its track 41 and the pin 39 of the shifting shaft is situated withits center slightly below a horizontal plane drawn through the shiftingshaft 40. The driving change gear wheel 17 is, on the other hand, drawnin a position in which the change gears 17 and 18 are out of engagement.The guide piece 38' is then in its upper position, and the pin 39 lieswith its center, say, closely next to a vertical plane which is drawnthrough the center of the shifting shaft 40. The axles 29 and 29' of thedriving change gears 17 and 19 are secured by the pins 42 to theswingable arms 36 and 37.

The shifting shaft 40 is provided with a switching connection piece 43and has a receiving device 44 for an operating lever 45. In itsoperating position, i.e., with the driving change gears 17 and 19standing in engagement with the driven change gears 18 and 20, theswitching connection piece 43 points downward and lies against anadjustable stop 46. This adjustable stop 46 is made, in the example, ina simple manner by a screw which is screwed in corresponding receivingthread 47, depending on the change gear that is used, i.e., the numberof teeth on the change gear wheel. Since in the present case asufficient adaptation of the gear is given by three change gear wheelswith differing number of teeth, only three stop places are present.

For the operation of the shifting shaft 40 the operating lever isintroduced into the receiving device 44. The receiving device 44 for theoperating lever 45 is designed in such a way that it servessimultaneously as locking device for the switching connection piece 43and thereby of the shifting shaft 40. The shifting shaft 40, therefore,can be bolted at any of its stop positions. For this purpose, thereceiving device 44, as FIG. 3 shows, is provided with an angle lever 49swingable about the pin 48, which lever has in its arm 50 and bore 51for the reception of the operating lever 45. Moreover, this arm 50 isequipped at its end with stop surfaces 52. On the other arm 53 of thelever 49 there is engaged a bolt 55 operated by a spring 54 whichpresses the lever 49 into its locking position. In a position of theswitching connection piece 43, in which the change gear pair is inengagement, the receiving device 44 engages with the stop surfaces 52 ofthe one arm 50 behind the screw giving the stop. If the switchingconnection piece 43', on the other hand, is swung and the change gearpair is out of engagement, the stop surfaces 52 of the receiving device44 are pressed into a depression 56 present on the gear casing 2, sothat in this position the switching connection piece 43 is also locked.

Modifications are, of course, possible in the practical embodiment ofthe invention. Thus, for example, if only two spinning pumps are to bedriven, a gear can be designed in which the two spur wheels, which makea connection of the Worm wheel with the driving spur wheel of the changegear pairs, are omitted and the drive of the spur wheel driving thechange gear pairs can take place directly over the shaft of the wormwheel. On the other hand, it is also possible to produce an arrangementwherein further change gear pairs are connected through intermediategears to the worm wheel or the worm wheel shaft and, for example, sixadjacently situated spinning pumps can be driven over only onefine-regulating gear.

If desired, the speed change gear can also be constructed as a shiftinggear. Such a gear, in which the speed change gear is a shifting gear, isrepresented in FIG. 4. For the sake of clarity, the gear shown isdesigned for the drive of only one spinning pump. The gear is connectedover the worm shaft 1 to a main drive shaft, not represented in detail,which is connected with the infinitely adjustable main gear. Theindividual gear elements are housed in the casing 2. The worm shaft 1 isprovided with the worm 4' which engages the wheel rim of the worm wheel5'. The worm wheel 5 is secured on the shaft 6 by means of a fittingspring 7'. For the bearing of the shaft 6' there are provided ballbearings 8. Besides the worm wheel 5, there is secured on the shaft 6' aspur wheel 60 with the aid of a fitting spring 61. This spur wheel 60 isa component of the three-speed shifting gear, which also comprises thegear wheels 63, 64 and 65 slidably arranged on the shaft 62. The gearwheels 63, 64 and 65 have an equal diameter but different numbers ofteeth. In the example, the gear wheel 63 is provided with 108 teeth, thegear wheel 64 with 107 teeth and the gear wheel 65 with 109 teeth. Thegear wheel 60 has 75 teeth. Through the varying numbers of teeth on thegear wheels 63 to 65, there is obtained a sufiiciently fine gradation ofthe turning rate of the gear which is necessary for the correction ofvariations in the pump delivery rate. The gear wheels 63 to 65 aresecured on a common hub 66 with the aid of inset fitting spring 67. Thespacing of the gear wheels 63 to 65 among one another is fixed b theintermediate rings 68. The hub 66 is longitudinally slidable, butassured against twisting by the fitting spring 69, on the shaft 62. Theshaft 62 is simultaneously the secondary drive shaft of the gear. It isequipped at one end with coupling elements which make possible theconnection to the spinning pump shaft. The coupling is preferablyconstructed as a slip coupling, so that the spinning pump can beswitched off when the remaining portions of the spinning apparatus arerunning. The secondary drive shaft 62 is supported by ball bearings 70.

The shifting of the three-speed gear is carried out in the example shownin FIG. 4 by way of a shifting rod system, which consists essentially ofa thrust rod 71 and fork 72 fastened thereto. The fork 72 embraces thelower end (as shown in FIG. 4) of the middle gear wheel 64. After thedesired speed gear of the shifting gear has been established by couplingone of the wheels 63 to 65 with the wheel 60, the shifting rod system islocked to the casing 2' with the aid of known devices.

In FIG. 5, there is represented another form of the three-speed shiftinggear. As a modification to the shifting gear according to FIG. 4, theshifting gear according to FIG. 5 is arranged on the seondary driveshaft 62' of the gear with only one slide wheel 73. The threecounterwheels 74, 75 and 76 are nonslidable and secured on the shaft 77.For this purpose there serves an inset fitting spring 78. The spacingbetween the gear wheels 74 to 76 is fixed by the intermediate rings 79.The shaft 77 is supported by ball bearings 80. The shifting of the gearis accomplished by a sliding of the gear wheel 73 on the secondary driveshaft 62', which is supported by the ball bearings 70'. The connectionof the gear wheel 73 with the shaft 62' is accomplished over the slidespring 69. The shifting rod system again is made of a thrust rod 71 anda fork 72' fastened thereto. The fork 72' embraces the lower end of thegear wheel 73.

The drive of this gear is carried out, in the same manner as in thepreviously explained examples, over the worm shaft 1", the worm 4", theworm wheel 5" and the shaft 6", which is carried by the ball bearings8". The connection of the worm wheel 5" with the shaft 6 is accomplishedby means of the inset fitting spring 7". Between this worm gear and thethree-speed shifting gear of the present example, there is inserted afurther transmission stage. This transmission stage consists of the gearwheel 12", which is secured on the shaft 6" over the inset spring 11".This gear wheel 12 meshes with the gear wheel 74 of the shifting gear.In the present example, in which only one spinning pump is driven by thegear, this gear wheel exercises merely the function of a reductionstage. If, on the other hand, several spinning pumps are to be drivensimultaneously by a gear according to the invention, then this gearwheel serves primarily for the distribution of the force flow to thesubsequent speed change gears. A further subdivision of the force flowcan then be made in a similar manner as in the speed change gear itself.

Another embodiment of the invention in which a subdivision of the forceflow takes place and the gear is used for the drive of four spinningpumps is represented in FIG. 6. Only one half of the gear is shown inthe drawing, since both halves are designed symmetrically to each other.This gear is drawn in elevation as seen from the secondary drive side,the casing front having been removed. Over the worm shaft 1", the worm4" and the worm wheel 5" (not visible) the torque is transferred to theshaft 6". The gear wheel 12', arranged in the same manner as in FIG. 5,imparts the torque to two gear wheels 13" laterally offset and arrangedsymmetrically to the central plane of the gear. Each of the gear wheels13" correspond in its function to the gear wheel 74 of the example shownin FIG. 5. Therefore, gear wheels 13" correspond to the three unslidablegear wheels, with varying numbers of teeth, of the three-speed shiftinggear. From the unslidable gear wheels of the shifting gear there takesplace a further distribution of the force flow to two secondary driveshafts 6 on which there are mounted the slidably arranged individualwheels 81 of the shifting gear. The slide springs are designated 82.Underneath the thrust wheels 81 there are arranged the thrust rods 71'of the shifting rod system, whose forks 72" embrace the respective gearwheels at their lower ends.

The gear according to FIG. 6 operates with the smallest possible numberof gear wheels for the given number of spinning pumps to be driven.There is required only one distributor gear wheel 12", two gear wheels13", and a slidable gear wheel 81 on each secondary drive shaft 62".Altogether for the drive of four adjacently situated spinning pumps,there are only eleven gear wheels without counting the worm drive inthis example.

The drive device for spinning pumps connected to a spinning apparatus isshown schematically in FIG. 7. In FIG. 7, fine-regulation gears are usedin accordance to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and therefore four spinning pumps(not shown in FIG. 7) are driven respectively by one fine-regulationgear. In FIG. 7, a drive motor 101 is connected to an infinitelyadjustable main gear 102 by clutch means 103. The infinitely adjustablemain gear 102 is connected to a worm shaft by a chain drive 104. Thisworm shaft consists of a plurality of worm shafts 1 of fine-regulationgears shown in FIG. 1. These worm shafts 1 are connected by connectingmeans 105. Each fine-regulation gear is housed in a gear casing 2 andhas four drive shafts 21 for driving four spinning pumps.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference topreferred embodiments thereof. It should be understood thatmodifications and variations within the spirit and scope of theinvention would be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The pump driving apparatus of the present invention may beadvantageously used in a spinning apparatus as disclosed in my copendingapplication Ser. No. 679,699, filed Nov. 1, 1967 and entitled ApparatusFor the Manufacture of Synthetic Fibers, Ser. No. 679,699.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combination for the manufacture of synthetic fibers or the likefrom a melt of a synthetic polymer which includes a spinning block, aplurality of spinning nozzle casings, a plurality of spinning pumps, anda device for the uniform drive of said pumps, the improvement whichcomprises making said uniform drive device from a drive motor, aninfinitely variable main drive connected with said motor, andfine-regulation gears connected with said main drive, saidfine-regulation gears each comprising a speed-reduction gear and atleast one speed change gear of low speed gradation.

2. Combination of claim 1 wherein said speed-reduction gear is a wormgear.

3. Combination of claim 1 wherein said speed-reduction gear is a wormgear, and there are four speed change gears engaged with said worm gearfor the drive of 4 pump shafts.

4. Combination of claim 1 wherein said speed change gear is a wheelgear.

5. Combination of claim 1 wherein said speed reduction gear comprises aworm gear and a spur wheel, and there are an even number of speed changegears divided into sets of two, said speed change gears in each of saidsets are parallelly engaged with said spur wheel, and spur wheel engagedto said worm gear for driving said speed change gears.

6. Combination of claim 1 wherein said speed change gear comprises apair of wheel gears each mounted on a shaft, said pair of wheel gearsbeing normally in engaging position and the spacing of said shafts beingvariable to allow shifting of said pair of wheel gears out of engagementduring the running of said spinning apparatus.

7. Combination of claim 6 wherein said speed reduction gear comprises aworm gear and a spur wheel mounted on a shaft, one of said pair of wheelgears is the driving change wheel, and the shaft for said driving changewheel being carried on swingable arms for swinging about said shaft forsaid spur wheel to engage and disengage said driving change wheel withsaid spur wheel.

. 8. Combination of claim 7 wherein said swingable arms have guidesthereon, said guides being slidable and carrying turnable pins, saidturnable pins being eccentrically attached to a shifting shaft whereby aturning of said shifting shaft causes said slidable guides to actuatesaid swingable arms.

9. Combination of claim 8 further comprising a switching connectionelement on said shifting shaft, a receiving means on said switchingconnecting element, an operating lever receivable in said receivingmeans for turning said shifting shaft, and adjustable stopping means forarresting said shifting shaft at predetermined positions.

10. Combination of claim 1 wherein said speed change gear is a shiftablegear having 3 speeds, said shiftable gear being provided with at leastone slidable wheel for shifting the speed of said gear.

11. Combination of claim 10 wherein said shiftable gear comprises afirst shaft and a second shaft, a plurality of gear Whee s carried onsaid. first shaft, said gear wheels having equal diameter but varyingnumber of teeth, a slidable gear wheel carried on said second shaft forsliding into enagagement with one of said gear wheels on said firstshaft.

12. A device for the uniform drive of a plurality of spinning pumps in aspinning apparatus for the manufacture of synthetic fibers or the like,which comprises:

a drive motor;

an infinitely variable main drive connected with said motor;

and fine-regulation gears connected with said main drive, each of saidgears comprising a speed-reduction gear and at least one speed changegear of low speed gradation;

said speed change gear comprises a pair of Wheel gears each mounted on ashaft, said pair of wheel gears being normally in engaging position andthe spacing of said shafts being variable to allow shifting of said pairof wheel gears out of engagement during the running of said spinningapparatus; said speed-reduction gear comprises a worm gear and a spurwheel mounted on a shaft, one of said pair of wheel gears is the drivingchange wheel and the shaft for said driving change wheel being carriedon swingable arms for swinging about said shaft for said spur wheel toengage and disengage said driving change wheel with the other of saidpair of Wheel gears.

13. A device according to claim 12 wherein said swingable arms haveguides thereon, said guides being slidable and carrying turnable pins,said turnable pins being eccentrically attached to a shifting shaftwhereby a turning of said shifting shaft causes said slidable guides toactuate said swingable arms.

14. A device according to claim 13 further comprising a. switchingconnection element on said shifting shaft, :1 receiving means on saidswitching connecting element, an operating lever receivable in saidreceiving means for turning said shifting shaft, and adjustable stoppingmeans for arresting said shifting shaft at predetermined positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 986,241 3/1911 Stuhlmacher 74-354989,733 4/1911 Townsend 74-354 X 2,237,466 4/ 1941 Zimmerman 74-3252,291,928 8/1942 Streich et al. 74-689 2,538,625 1/1951 Moore 74-3542,570,720 10/1951 Rumpf 74-342 2,986,951 6/1961 Carriol 74-344 X3,133,450 5/1964 Riley et al. 74-342 3,325,863 6/1967 Nicita et al. 18-83,376,603 4/1968 Colombo 18-8 FOREIGN PATENTS 63,889 8/ 1949Netherlands.

ARTHUR T. MCKEON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 74-342, 665

